Shell charger



Aug. 8, 1944. w. F. THOMA ETAL 2,355,574

' SHELL CHARGER Filed Dec. 18, 194i VENTO BY Fred. IV. a yen Patented Aug. 8, 1944 iJNl'E'ED S SHELL CHARGER tion of Michigan Application December 18, 1941, Serial No. 423,542

9 Claims.

This invention relates to shell chargers, that is devices of the type adapted to secure a plurality of shells together for loading purposes in rapid fire guns and cannons, the principal object of the invention being the provision of such a charger that is simple in construction, efficient in operation and economical to manufacture.

Objects of the invention include the provision of a shell charger formed from metal of sheet and/or rolled form; the provision of a charger of the type described that is formed in part from relatively thin sheet metal and is, therefore, light in weight; the provision of a shell charger that is formed from metal of sheet and/ or rolled form and so constructed and arranged as to embody a maximum amount of strength for its weight; the provision of a shell charger substantially eliminating the need of machining operations thereon during its manufacture; and the provision of a shell charger of the general type above described formed from metal of sheet and/or rolled form and including certain novel details of construction particularly adapting it to the work to be performed thereby.

The above being among the objects of the present invention the same consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts to he hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing winch illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several different views,

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating four shells operatively connected together by a loading device or charger constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the charger shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the charger shown in Fig. 2 and taken looking in the direction of the arrows 33 of Fig. 2';

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the charger shown in Fig. 2 and taken looking in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the charger shown in Fig. 2, taken looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5 thereof;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3.

Shell chargers of the type herein under consideration are employed for removably securing a plurality of shells together so as to facilitate the loading or charging of the same in rapid fire guns or cannons. While they may, of course, be adapted for any size of shells, it may be noted that the particular type shown has particularly been adapted for thus removably securing together shells of the 40 mm. type.

These chargers comprise a rigid device having partially circular pockets therein adapted to receive the butt end of the shell and include a portion or portions adapted to fit within the usual peripheral groove at the base of such shell so as to locate the shells axially of the device. Additionally they include a spring pressed clip movable in a direction axially of the shells and including a part adapted to be removably received in the annular groove in the base of the shell to thereby complete the removable securement of the shell to the device. Inasmuch as such shells taper in diameter from the base towards the tip, the chargers are usually arranged so as to maintain the sides of the shells in approximate parallelism with each other when assembled therein, thus necessitating the charger to be generally curved in plan view.

Until recently it has been conventional practice to form such shell chargers from aluminum castings with only the clip plungers and their cooperating springs and clips being separately formed and later applied thereto. When formed from an aluminum casting, it is usually necessary to perform some machining operations on the body of the charger to bring it to its final form. Recently there has been a scarcity of aluminum available for military activities and it has, therefore, been desirable to eliminate the use of such metal wherever possible if this can be done without disadvantage. In the prior application for Letters Patent of the United States filed by one of the present applicants, namely Willard F. Thoma, on July 19, 1941 and serially numbered 403,189, a shell charger is shown and described which is formed from sheet metal, thus adapting it to manufacture from steel and eliminating the need of the use of aluminum therefor. Such shell charger is of no greater weight than the previous aluminum chargers employed and is considerably more economical to manufacture than the prior aluminum chargers, and because of its character required substantially no machining thereon. The present invention deals with a different construction for such a charger when formed from metal of sheet and/or'rolled form and by its practices still greater strength is obtained in the same and greater economies in its manufacture withstructed in accordance with the present inven-.

tion. As is conventional, the shell cases H are each provided with an annular base flange I5 at its base or butt end and in the particular type of shell case shown a peripheral groove I6 is provided in the case immediately outwardly of the flange I5 and, as best brought out in Fig. 6, the base ends of the cases II are each provided with a concentric annular groove I8 in relatively closely spaced relation with respect to the outer margin of the base.

Generally speaking, these chargers are of rigid construction formed to provide a plurality of partially circular seating surfaces arranged in transversely spaced relation for reception of the base end of the shells, a correspondingly shaped ridge or bead adapted to be received in the groove I6 of the corresponding shell case being associ 'ated with each-partially circular seating surface,

and an axially movable spring pressed plunger having a clip fixed thereto adapted to be removably received in the corresponding groove l8 of flange 24 along one edge thereof as best brought out in the sectional view thereof in Fig. 6 and is, therefore, of more or less angular section. The flange 24 serves the same purpose as the ridge or bead of conventional constructions and projects above the main body portion 23 an amount equal to and preferably slightly less than the depth of the grooves IS in the shell cases H and is of a thickness to be readily received therein without an undue amount of play. The member 20, which is of the section illustrated in Fig. 6 throughout its length, is bent or otherwise formed as best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 to provide four partially circular shell case seats 26 the contour of each of which conforms to the contour of the shell cases II adjacent the grooves 24 thereof. The flange 24 which projects radially inwardly along the rear edge of each of such seats 25 is thus adapted to be removably received within the corresponding groove N5 of the corresponding shell case ll so as to maintain the shell case H against axial movement with respect thereto when such shell case is received within the corresponding seat 26. The member 20 being of relatively heavy section and being reinforced by the presence of the flange 24 is, of course, extremely rigid and preferably is of sufficient rigidity to support shell cases I I in and of itself without material distortion and without material aid from the member 22. As best brought out in Fig. 2, the member 20 is of a generally'curved conformation in plan view so as to bring the sides of adjacent tapered shell cases supported thereon into generally parallel relation as illustrated in Fig. 1. This curvature is obtained by bending the member 29 over that area thereof between the seats 26, so as to leave the seat portions themselves straight.

The primary function of the part or member 22 is to provide a means for supporting the plungers which will hereinafter be described but it may, if desired, be relied upon as a material aid in imparting the necessary rigidity to the member 20. In the particular form shown it is formed from relatively thin sheet metal and preferably steel I into an upwardly opening channel section as best brought out in Fig. 6. It is slightly narrower than the member 20 and is of the same general curvature in plan View as the member 29. Its

bottom is preferably flat as illustrated in Figs. 3

and 4. Preferably it is formed from a single sheet of metal which is bent upwardly on opposite sides along the lines forming the'junction between the sides and bottom walls thereof and the ends of the side walls are bent inwardly as best illustrated at 30 in Fig. 5 to form partially closed ends and the portions 30 terminate in upwardly and outwardly directed tabs 32 which fit the underside of the outer end portions of the member 20 as indicated best in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and are suitably fixed thereto as by welding or the like. In line with the center of each of the seats 26 the upper edges of the member 22 are preferably arcuately cut away to a slight extent in conformance with the curvature of the lower face of the seats 26 and such cut-away areas receive such seats therein. Over its central portion the spacing of the side walls of the member 22 is decreased as at 34,'best brought out in Fig; 2, and such side walls are increased in height and projected upwardly between the two center seats as best brought out in Fig. 3. The upwardly projecting portion of each of such side walls is provided with an outwardly directed tab 36 which tabs lie in flat contacting relationship with respect to the under faces of the corresponding seats 26 and are rigidl fixed thereto as by welding or the like. The member 22 being of channel section is, of course, of relatively rigid'construction and great strength for the thickness of metal employed and particularly Where fixed to the member 2f! as described not only aids in rigidifying the member 20 but is in turn substantially rigidified itself.

In vertical alignment with the center of each of the seats 25 each side wall of the member 22 is formed to provide an outwardly offset area which forms a corresponding shallow pocket in line with each such area internally of the member 22. Each aligned pair of areas 40 are pierced to provide openings and within each such pair of aligned openings a pin 42 is slidably received, this being best brought out inFig. 6.

Each pin 42 is generally of circular section but the forward end thereof, being the righthand end as viewed in Fig. 6, is upset to form a generally rectangularly sectioned end portion 44, as best indicated in Figs. 4 and 6 and the corresponding opening in the associated offset area 40 is shaped to conform to its section, thereby preventing relative rotation between each pin 42 and the member 22." It may be noted that the ends 44 as shownare not of full rectangular section, as are the openings in which they are received.v the edges thereof being roundedoff as indicated to facilitate the manufacture thereof. In upsetting the ends of each pin 42 to form the end 44, the transverse dimensions of the pin '44 are increased in at least one direction so as to form a shoulder between the circular portion of the pins 42 and the rectangular sectioned ends 44 thereof as will be readily appreciated.

The rear end of each pin 42, illustrated as the lefthand end thereof in Fig. 6, is flatted oil as at 46 on opposite sides thereof and a clip indicated generally at 59 is non-rotatably secured on such end. This is accomplished by providing the clip 50 with an opening, as best brought out in Fig, 3, of a Shape corresponding to the flatted ofi. end 45 of the pin 42 which is closely received therein, and the outer end of the pin +24 is upset over the outer face of the clip 58 to prevent outward displacement of the latter thereon.

Each clip 50 is formed from sheet metal to provide a main body portion 52 lying generally in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the corresponding pin 42 and it projects upwardly therefrom to a position in which it is arranged in partially overlapping relationship with re spect to the base end of the corresponding shell case I! which is adapted to be received by the charger. Such upper edge of the clip is upset and thickened, and thereafter preferably restruck or coined, to provide a forwardly directed lip 54, best brought out in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 and which, as best illustrated in Fig. 6. is adapted to be received and fit within the annular groove l8 in the base of the cooperating shell case H when received by the charger. On its laterally opposite sides the main body portion 52 of each clip 59 is provided with an inturned portion 56 the forward or free ends or edges of which are adapted to abut against the rear wall of the member 22 and thereby serve as stops to limit forward movement of the clip 56, or movement to the right as viewed in Figs. 5, 6 and '7 when a corresponding shell is not received by the charger.

Surrounding each pin 42 within the member 22 is a coiled compression spring 66. Each spring 50 is maintained under compression be tween the rear wall of the member 22 and the shoulder formed between the rectangularly sectioned portion 44 and the circular sectioned portion of each pin 42, as best brought out in Fig. 6. Consequently the springs 60 constantly exert a force on the pins 42 tending to move them forwardly, or to the right as viewed in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and consequently urge the corresponding clips 50 in the same direct on. Thus the springs 60 serve to resiliently maintain. the l p 54 of each clip 50 within the annular groove I8 in the base of a cooperating shell case M when the shell case is received in the charger with the flange 24 of the charger received in the peripheral groove l of the shell case. In this manner the various shells are securely locked to the charger so that the four shells and the charger as illustrated in Fig. 1 may be handled as a unit.

In assembling the above described charger the parts 20 and 22 are made up separately and the pins 42 and their associated parts are assembled in the part 22 before it is secured to the part 20. In assembling the pins 42 to the part 2?. the spring 60 are first inserted in place. connection the springs Ell in their free and unstressed state are of greater length than the width of the part 22 so that each spring 60 may be compressed and then inserted with n the member 22 between the shallow pockets formed In this by each aligned pair of offset portions 40 which pockets, therefore, aid in maintaining the positions of the springs 60 before the pins 42 are inserted. Next, the pins 42 are inserted from the front, or righthand side as viewed in Fig. 6, and are guided through their corresponding springs 69 and the fiatted olT lefthand ends thereof, as viewed in Fig. 6, are projected through the lefthand wall of the member 22. In thus projecting the pins 42 through the member 22 the shoulder between the round portion of each pin 42 and its rectangularly sectioned portion 44 engages the righthand end of the corresponding spring 60 and such spring is caused to be further compressed until the lefthand end of the pin projects a sufiicient distance beyond the lefthand wall of the member 22 to receive the corresponding clip thereon, which clip is then applied and the corresponding end of the pin 42 headed over to rigidly fix the clip 50 thereto. After all of the springs 60, pins 42 and clips 50 have thus been assembled in the member 22, then the member 22 is applied to the member 20 and is welded or otherwise permanently fixed thereto.

It has been found that the above described charger is amply strong and rigid for the purposes required, is as light or lighter in weight than the former types of aluminum chargers heretofore employed and above described and functions equally as well in every respect, and is substantially more economical to produce.

Having thus described our invention what we claim by Letters Patent is:

1. A shell charger comprising, in combination, a strip of metal formed to provide a plurality of upwardly opening partially circular seats. a sheet metal member of substantially the same length as the first mentioned member underlying the first mentioned member and rigidly fixed thereto, said second member having laterally spaced wall portions, a pin slidably supported between said spaced wall portions in line with each of said seats. spring means constantly urging said. pins in one direction, and a clip secured to one end of each of said pins and arranged in cooperative relation-- ship with respect to the lower portion of the as sociated seat.

2. A shell charger comprising a strip-like member formed as a single piece of metal to provide a plurality of adjacent upwardly opening partially circular seats, an upwardly projecting bead fixed with respect to said member along the rear edge of each of said seats, a second and relatively thinner sheet metal member of angular section extending longitudinally of the first mentioned member in underlying relat on with respect thereto and rigidly fixed thereto, clips movably carried by said second mentioned member in operative relationship with respect to each of said seats, and spring means constantly urging said clips toward said seats.

3. A shell charger comprising, in combination, a first member of angular section and of striplike character formed as a single piece of metal to provide a plurality of upwardly opening arouately shaped seats, a sheet metal member having laterally spaced wall portions underlying said first member over approximately the full length thereof and rigidly fixed thereto, a clip movably carried by said second member in operative relationship with respect to the lower portion of each of said seats, and spring means constantly urging said clips toward said seats.

4. A shell charger comprising, in combination, a first member comprising a one-piece strip of material formed to provide a plurality of upw rdly opening arcuately shaped seats, said strip of material being of angular section with a long fl nge and a short flange and said long flange forming said seat and said short flange projecting upwardly at the rear edge thereof to provide a -retaining bead; a second one-piece member comprising a sheet metal member having laterally spaced wall portions and of approximately the length of the first mentioned member underlying the first mentioned member and fixed thereto, a clip movably carried by said second member in line with the center of each ofsaid seats of the first mentioned membenand spring means constantly urging said clips toward said seats.

1 5. A shell charger comprising, in combination,- a first member comprising aone piece strip of material formed to provide a plurality of upwardly opening arouately shaped seats, said strip of material being of angular section with a long flange and a short flange and said long flange forming said seat and said short flange projecte ing upwardly at the rear'edge thereof to provide a retaining bead, a second one piece member comprising a channel sectioned sheet metal member extending longitudinally of the first mentioned member and fixed to the lowerside thereof, a clip movably carried by spaced walls of said second member in operative relationship with respect to each of said seats of said first member,

and spring means constantly urging said clips to- 1 at the rear edge thereof to provide a retaining bead, a second member comprising an upwardly opening channel sectioned member of approximately the same length'as the first mentioned member underlying'th'e first mentioned member and fixed thereto, a pin slidably supported between the spaced side walls of said second member below each of said seats of said first member, spring means constantly urging said pins in one direction, and a clip fixed to each of saidpins and arranged in cooperative relationship with respect to the corresponding of said seats;

'7. A shell charger comprising, in combination, a first member comprising a strip of material formed to provide a plurality of upwardly opening arcuately shaped seats, said strip of material being of angular section with a long fiange and a short flange and said long flange forming said seat and said short flange projecting upwardly at the rear edge thereof to provide a retaining bead, a second member comprising an upwardly opening channel sectioned sheet metal member of approximately the same length as said first member and underlying the same, outwardly struck tabs at the ends of said second member fixed to the corresponding ends of said first member, additional tabs on said second member intermediate the end thereof fixed to said first member intermediate the end thereof, said sec- 0nd memberhaving aligned apertures in the opposite side walls thereof in line with each of said seats in said first member, a pin slidably but non-rotatably received in each of said aligned pairs of apertures, spring means cooperating with said pins constantly urging them in onedirection of axial movement, and a clip fixed to one end of each of said pins and arranged in adjacent relationship with respect to the lower portion of the corresponding of said seats, Y

8. A shell charger comprising; incombinatio a strip of metal formed to provide a plurality of upwardly opening partially circular seats, a sheet metal member of substantially-the same length as the first mentioned member underlying the first mentioned member and rigidly fixed thereto, said second member having laterally spaced wall portions, a pin slidably supported between said spaced wall portions in line with each of said seats, spring means constantly urging said pins in one direction, and a clip secured to one end of each of said pins and arranged in cooperative relationship with respect to, the lower portion of the associated seat, each of said clips comprising a main body portion having its general plane of thickness perpendicular to the axis of the corresponding said pin, a laterally turned lip atthe upper margin thereof, and laterally turned portions at each side thereof engageabl with said second member to limit movement of the corresponding of said pins in one direction.

9. A shell charger comprising, in combination, a strip of metal formed to provide a plurality of upwardly opening partially circular seats, a sheet metal member of substantially the same length as the first mentioned member underlying the first mentioned member and rigidly fixed thereto, said second member having laterally spaced wall portions, a pin slidably supported between said spaced wall portions in line with each of said seats, spring means constantly urging said pins in one direction, and a clip secured to one end of each of said pins and arranged in cooperative relationship with respect to' the lower portion of associated seat, each of said clips comprising a sheet metal member arranged with the general plane of its thickness perpendicular to th axis of the corresponding pin and having a thickened laterally turned upper edge portion forming a lip, and inwardly turned portions at each side of said main body portion forming stop surfaces for engagement with said second member to limit movement thereof and of the corresponding of said pins in one direction.

WILLARD F. THOMA. FRED w. BEYER. 

